Abstract:

Propaganda in the Chinese Cultural Revolution was widespread, politically enforced, and often came in the form of an artistic poster. Other propaganda strategies included communist opera, regular announcements broadcasted through local Chinese Communist Party loudspeakers, politically driven poetry, to name just a few. However, in a stage in time without modern levels of technological interconnectedness, posters were ubiquitous. The party images and slogans from the Cultural Revolution informed the people and encouraged social conformity. This conformity was exactly the key for Chairman Mao to march ahead through his many campaigns and revolutions as a deified leader. He envisioned a communist Chinese nation of dedicated, productive, and ideologically homogenous people. A collectively and militaristically inspired population was necessary to the fulfillment of Mao’s dream. The CCP, then, used the power of propaganda posters to promote collectivism, gender equality, militarism, rapid industrial growth, and to cultivate Mao’s cult of personality. The qualities of China’s social atmosphere during the Cultural Revolution gave propaganda posters unique potential for influence. They articulated the lessons of Chairman Mao in a way that was accessible to all Chinese citizens. The omnipresence of political posters is not nearly as much a part of modern reality as it was just a few decades ago, and so deserves scholarly attention. I join the conversation and offer insight into the specific strategies that make posters effective in the hands of the CCP during the Cultural Revolution. Ultimately, I will provide a comprehensive look into the role and power of political artwork in the Cultural Revolution.